Door-controlled elevator system.



A. 31 C. BECK.

DOOR CONTROLLFD ELEVATOR SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 19m.

1,175,220. A Patented Mar. 14:,1910.

2 SHEETS SHEET I.

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A. (11 C. BECK.

OOOR CONTROLLED ELEVATOR SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5. 1914.

Patented Mar. 14, 19113.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2.

INVENTOJ-i Arthur Bec/r- Char/e5 BC/f ATTOIM E I UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

ARTHUR BECK AND CHARLES BECK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS, BYIlIESNE 'ASSIGNMENTS, 'IO SAFETY APPLIANCE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURL'A GOR- PORATION OF MISSOURI.

DOOR-CONTROLLED ELEVATOR SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application filed March 5, 1914. Serial No. 822,645.

vator Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

Our invention has relation to improvements in door-controlled elevatorsystems; and it consists in the novel features of construction morefully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an electric elevatorsystem with the several devices and wiring shown more or lessconventionally and our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the safety switch to which our invention 1s in the main,directed; Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is a detached faceelevational view of the oscillating contact lever of said switch, whichdirectly controls the annunciator or light circuit; Fig. 5 is a top planof Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line 66 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 isan enlarged vertical cross-section on the line 77 of Fig. 3 showing thebutter for the plunger armature of the safety switch; and Fig. 8 is adiagrammatic view showing the series arrangement of the gatecontacts.

The object of ourinvention is to provide an automatic switch mechanismfor electric elevators (or equivalent hoisting, apparatus) which willdepend for its operation on the closing and opening of the gate at anyfloor or landing at which the passengers (or freight) in the car are tobe discharged, or at which they are to enter the car. The door switchesare in circuit with the motor by-which the car is hoisted or lowered,the motor circuit being open (01 broken) with theopening of any door ofthe elevator shaft (the door switches being connected in series) so thatthe operator can not under the circumstances start the car. At the sametime. the plunger armature of the switch to which our invention isdirected, controls the closing and opening of suitable annunciator orlighting. circuits whereby the operator in the car can tell at a glancewhether the motor circuit is closed or open, depending either on thenature of the sound of'the a nnunciator or on the color-of the signfllight, and being so guided, the operator is in posltion to know whetherthe coast is clear to start the car.

A further object of our invention is to provide a switch with yieldingelectrodes or wipers of special design to prevent arcing and sparkingwith the separation of the circuit-closing terminals of said electrodesand further, to provide a system possessing advantages better apparentfrom a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows:

present to Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, M, represents an electric motorprovided with a separately excited field F, the motor having coupledthereto a drum D over which winds a hoisting cable 0 passing overpulleys P, P, at the top of the elevator shaft H, the upper end of thecable having suspended therefrom the car or cage C, all as fullyunderstood in the art. In front of the car, at each floor or landingoperates the sliding gate. G,

(only one floor being shown in the illus tration) from, the car, the topof the gate being provlded with an arm 1 tothe free outer end of whichis'secured a yielding contact wiper 2, said arm 1 and wiper 2constituting a door switch. With the closing of the gate said energizingsections of the mot0r-circuit'.-.

The line wires L, L constitute the immediate source of electric energy,the wires leadingto the wire L through a wire 5' ,and the wire 6reaching the wire L through the wire 6', the wires 5, 6', being butmereex- I tensions of the wires 5, 6. respectively.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a closing of the gate G willclose the circuit. comprising the elements L, 5', 5, 3, 2, 3, 6,

'6 L. In the path of the wire 5 is interposed a solenoid 8 provided witha reciproeating plunger armature or core t, constiaforesaidcoil-energizingcircuit -(L,"5', 5, 3

for admitting passengers (or r -fre1ght or both) into, anddischargingthem tuting a safety-switch, the cIosingJof-the I I by a wire 11 whichbranchesfrom the wire one of the terminals ofthe switch solenoid 9mounted on the switch-board R, the wire 8 on the other hand leading fromthe contact an adjacent to which is a similar contact m forming theterminal of a wire 10 which 1 leads from the wire 5, the wires 8, 10,being connected by a resistance r as shown. The

opposite terminal of the solenoid 9 is-formed 5. The plunger armature 12of the solenoid 9 is provided with a bottom terminal link 13 suspendedfroma pin 14 and spaced from the plunger by a thimble 15 passed over thepin (Fig. 2), the link 13 in turn supporting an oscillating lever 15secured by a pin or stud 14', the lever being provided with a fulcrumpin 16011 the slab or switch-board R, the short arm of thelever beingprovided with spring-controlled wiper plugs or contacts 17, 17",cobperating respectively with the contacts m m. Each, plug or wiper 17,17 '3, is controlled by a spring k confined in a socket e in the memberconstituting the short lever arm of thelever 15. Before energization'ofthe so enoid 9 takes place, the

plunger 12 occupies its lowest position so that the short lever-arm ofthe lever 15 points upward (Fig. 3) the wipers 17 17' being inengagement with-their respective contacts m, m. Now, when the gate Gcloses so as to close the circuit L, 5' 5, 3,2, 3, 6,

. 6. L, the solenoid s of the safety-switch becomes energized so as tomove the member 25 into engagement with the contacts a, a. Thisaccomplished, a portion of the current will traverse thefollowing-circuit: From wireL through wires 5','5, 11, through solenoid9, thence throughv wire 7, contact a, plunger-t, contact a, wire8,.contacts m m byway of the short lever-arm of lever 15, wires 10,5,contacts 3, 2, 3, wires 6, 6' back to wire L, the resistance-r beingshort-circulted: .The.,circuit just traced constitutes the, main switchcircuit, the current traversing the solenoid 9 energizing the latter .yes

whereupon the plunger armature 12is lifted (see dotted position Fig. 3),pulling the leve'r 15 after it, which is thus oscillated upwardlyaboutits fulcrum 1'6, and causin the separation of the contacts m, 17and m, 17,'respect ively. .The instant however that the circuitbetweenthe contacts m m is broken, the current simply passes throughthe-'resis'tance'r, the purpose of the latter being to reduce thecurrent strength through the solenoid 9 and prevent heating'the coilthereof once the plunger 12 has been lifted to afpoint approaching upperlimit, at

which point the current may well be reduced .as the plunger has but ashort distance to .travel to complete its full upward stroke.

The jsolenoid 9 above referred to, forms an element of the safety-switchto which our invention is in the main directed. The safety-switchcomprises in addition to the parts above described, a slate orequivalent non-conducting platforml8 mounted at the upper end of theplunger 12, said platform having disposed at opposite sides thereof theangle contact plates 19, 19, overhanging the edgesof the platform, thevertical leg of each plate being adapted toengage a'pair ofspring-controlled or yieldlng. wipers 20,20 d-ipendingfrom acorresponding pair of superposed conducting posts 21, 21

mounted on the board R, the post 21' overthe same is impinged by therising platform 18, the shock is communicated through the members 22 tothe springs 23 which thus absorb the shock and thus act asfbuifers.Leading from the posts 21 (the connections being always made on the backof the board R as well understood in the art) are conducting wires 24,25 respectively, the same leading to contacts a, n operating inconnection with a conventional oscillating hand switch S. The arms ofsaid switch are in electric connection with the wires 26, 27 leadingrespectively to the field F, and to one of the contacts in the operatorsswitch 0 in the elevator car C. Leading also from the said switch 0 arewires 28, 29, the first being connected to a solenoid 30, whereas theother wire 29 is connected to a corresponding solenoid 30', a wire 31'connecting the solenoids. These solenoids constitute the energizingcoilsof the oscillating reversing switches 32, 32' respectively, mounted onthe board R, the arms of the switch 32 cobperating with the contacts I)b, and the arms of the switch 32' cooperating with the contacts d d'.tionally herein and their action is well understood by those skilled inthe art. In electric connection with the wire 27 is a wire 27 which likethe Wire 26, leads to the field F.

Connecting the pivotal points of correspond- The switches are shownconventhe switch S leads a wire to the second arm of the switch 32; andfrom the corresponding arm of the switch 32 leads a wire 36 to the wire35. From the contact I) leads a wire 37 to the motor M; and from thecontact I) likewise leads a wire 38 to the motor M.

From the foregoing it' is apparent that if the gate G is closed, therebyclosing the safety circuit (or the circuit to the closing of which theplunger armature 12 responds to lift the lever 15) the car C can stillnot be started until the switch-lever W (connected electrically to thewire 27) is thrown by the operator in proper direction to bring one orthe other of the wires 28, 29 into circuit w ith .the wire 27. Let usassume that the switch S has been swung to operative position and thatthe lever W has been swung to the left from its intermediate or cut offposition (Fig. 1) whereby the wires 27 and 28 are brought into circuit.The gate G being closed, it follows that the solenoid 9 will beenergized, the plunger 12 lifted, and the plates 19, 19 brought intoengagement with the wipers 20, 20 of the posts 21, 21 and thus broughtinto electric connection with their respective wires '5',

6, 24, 25; whereby a portion of the line current will be conducted (inparallel) to the knife-switch S, and thence to the motor F;

the path of flow of the current (after traversing the wires L and 5-)being from one of the posts 21 across one of the plates 19 to theopposite post 21 (see arrow Fig; 2), thence through said post 21, wire25, the adjacent arm of the switch S, a short section of wire 27 wire 27field F, wire 26, the opposite arm of the switch S, wire 24, the secondpost 21', through its correspond ing contact-plate 19, through thesecond post 21, and finally through wire 6 to line L. This circuit thusconducted in parallel from the main line will for convenience behereinafter referred to as the main motor circuit, the field circuit ofthe motor, comprising the elements 27, 27', F, 26, being closed when theswitch S is closed, The lever W of the operators switch 0 having beenthrown to the left (as previously assumed to be the case), results inthe energization of the solenoid of one (32) of the reversing switches(32,32), a local circuit being set up which for convenience may betermed the reversing'switch controlling circuit, said circuit under thecircumstances being substantially as follows, it being convenient tostart with the wire 34 at the base of the left arm of the switch S.Through wire'34, to the left along wire 31, through solenoid 30, wire 28to switch 0, thence from said switch through wire 27 back to the'base ofthe adjacent right-hand arm of the switch S. The energization of thesolenoid-30 closes the switch 32 and there then sets up a motor armaturecircuit which drives the car C in one direction, said circuit beingsubstantially as follows: Beginning with the wire 34 it passes-throughwire 33 to the left, through right arm of switch 32, contact 7), wire38, motor M (upwardly Fig. 1), wire 37, contact I), left arm of switch.32, wire-'36, and wire 35 to the switch S. Suppose on the other handthat the switch-lever W is thrown to the rightso as to connect wires 27,29. In that case the car will be driven in an opposite direction, thereversing switch-controlling circuit being asfollows: From wire 34, tothe right along wire31, solenoid 30, wire 29, switch 0, wire 27, back tothe switch S. The motor armature circuit will now be in a reversedirection and is substantially as follows: From wire 34, to the rightthrough wire 33, right hand arm of switch 32, contact (Z, short wire.37, wire 37, motor M (downwardly, Fig. 1) wire 38 short wire 38, contact(Z, left-hand arm of switch 32, wire 35, back to the switchS.

In the practice of our invention there is brought .into service stillanother circuit, to wit, the signal or annunciator circuit, the currentfor which is supplied from the line wires E, E. The purpose of theannunciator is to put the operator on guard in starting his car; and inthe present embodiment of our invention we employ a red light as thedanger signal, and a green light as the safety signal. This circuit iscontrolled directly by the lever 15 as will more fully hereinafterappear. The arrangement here employed is substantially as follows:Leading from the line wire E is a wire 39 which is in electricconnection with a flexedspring wiper or contact 40 on the board R, asecond wiper or. contact 40 adjacent thereto having leading therefrom awire 41 connecting with one pole of the lighting filament of a green (orother color) safety signal-light 42 in the car, the opposite pole of thefilament being connected by a wire 43 with a wire 44 connectingrespectively with the line wire E and with one pole of the lightingfilament of the red or danger light 42, the opposite pole whereof isconnected by a wire 45 with a bottom spring wiper or contact 46 (on theboard R) an adjacent contact or wiper 46' being connected -by a wire 47with the wire 39.

'The free end of the long arm of the lever 15 is weighted by an I-block48fthe web whereof is protected by an insulating mem- The I &

long arm of the lever 15 (which may be termed as the signal controllinglever) will be in engagement with the contacts 46, 46 (Fig. 1). In thatcase the light circuit will include the following elements: The'current,

to start his car, the danger light (or equivalent signal) informing himthat either there is a'short circuit somewhere onthe line, or that oneor more of the gates G is open. When, however the gates are closed, thesolenoid 9 becomes energized, thelever 15 is lifted, the contactsbetween the members a m, 17 17 broken, and the upper flange of the I 48is brought into engagement with the upper pair of wipers 40, 40 (seedotted position Fig. 3), whereupon the course of the light circuit is asfollows: From line E, through wire 39, wiper 40, upper flange of the I48, wiper 40, wire 41, safety light 42, wire 43, wire 44, back to theline wire E. The operator thus knows that all danger is over and he isfree to start his car by a throwing of the switch lever W in properdirection. Any form of light signal, r annunciator or alarm device iscontemplated by our invention.

Where there are several floors or landii gs, the contacts 3, 3, arewired in series (Fig. 8)

so that when any gate of the series is closedor open (irrespective ofthe position of ihe car) the operator in'the car can tell from the colorof his signal light just what has happened. No .attempt is here made toshow the wiring of the car to illustrate how the wires lead to thelights in the car with any position of the car, as these matters arewell understood in the art. Features illustrated but not alluded to-arelikewise well understood and a description thereof is here unnecessary.

The contacts 19, 20, 20 serve to distribute the current over a largearea and when the plates 19, 19 separate from the spring wipers 20, 20,there is practically no arcing or sparking at the moment of separation.

Obviously, the invention is applicable to any form of hoistingapparatus. It may be convenient in passing to state the specific objectof the safety-switch s, t. ample the wire 8, or any wire identified withthe solenoid 9 become grounded, or otherwise short-circuited, thatcircumstance will tend to'keep the plunger 12 with its plat-- form 18and. plates 19, 19in their raised position (the grounded orshort-cirouited current tending to keep the coil 9 energized). Thisground ng or short-circuiting, however, if of a character as to allowundue leakage of the current, will so reduce the voltage Should forexzation of the same and thus. allow the plunger armature t to drop awayfrom its contacts a, a. When this happens the circuit to the solenoid 9is broken and the latter can not become energized until the defeet iscorrected. The safety-switch s, t, thus serves to break themotor-circuit in the .event the gate G is opened and the solenoid 9 isaccidentally grounded or short-circuited. For it must be obvious thatwith the opening of the gate, the deenergiza-tion of the solenoid 9should instantly follow, and were it not for the safety-switch 8, t, theenergization of the solenoid would'continue even after the gate wasopened, which is the very thing to be avoided, not only for the reasonthat it is desirable that the plunger 12 should instantly respond to theclosing and opening movements of the gate, but that the operator shallhave the proper signal on the car.

Having described our invention, what we claim is: 1

1. In combination with a car, an electric motor for impelling the same,a source of electric energy, a safety circuit leading from said source,a safety-switch in the path of said circuit, a gate opposite the car forclosing said safety circuit with the closing of the gate, a main-switchcircuit, a solenoid forming a part of said switch circuit, a main motorcircuit adapted to be closed with the energization of the solenoid uponthe closing of the gate, a movable member responsive to the currenttraversing the solenoid, and an annunciator or signal circuit controlledby said movable member.

2. In combination with acar, an electric motor for impelling the same, asource of electric energy, a safety circuit leading from said source, agate opposite the car for closing said safety circuit with the closingof the, gate, a main switch circuit. a solenoid forming a part of saidswitch circuit, a motor circuit adapted to be closed with theenergization of the solenoid upon the closing of the gate, aplunger-armature in the solenoid responsive to the current traversingthe solenoid, and an annunciator or signal circuit controlled bysaidarmature.

3. In combination with a car, an electric motor for driving the'same', asourceof electric energy, a safety circuit leading therefrom, a gateopposite the car for closing said circuit with the closing of the gate,a main switch circuit, a solenoid forming a part of said circuit, aplunger armature for the solenoid, a main switch mounted on the arma- Iparallel with the main switch circuit with a closing of the gate andconsequent energization of the solenoid, suitable signal circuits, and adevice on the plunger armature for controlling said signal circuits.

4. In combination with a car, an electric motor for driving the same, asource' of electric energy, a safety circuit leading therefrom, a gateopposite the car for closing said safety circuit with the closing of thegate, a main switch circuit, a solenoid forming a partof said circuit, aplunger armature for the solenoid, contact plates carried by andinsulated from the armature, a motor circuit inparallel with the mainswitch circuit and terminating in a plurality of wipers for receivingbetween them the contact plates aforesaid, a buffer or shock absorberoperative with a movement of the armature in one direction, suitablesignal circuits, and a device on the plunger armature for controllingsaid signal circuits.

5. In combination with an elevator gate, an electric motor, a mainswitch, a main switch circuit adapted to be closed with a closing of thegate, an energizing coil traversed by said circuit, a motor circuitleading from the main switch, an armature actuated by the energizationof said coil and operating to connect in parallel the motor circuit andthe main switch circuit, a signal circuit, and contact devices operatingin conjunction with said signal circuit and adapted to be actuated by amovement of the armature.

6. In combination with an elevator cage and gate, a safety circuitadapted to be closedwith the closing of the gate, a main switch, asolenoid-operated safety switch in the path of said safety circuit, amain switch circuit, a solenoid in the path of said circuit, a motor, amotor circuit leading from the main switch, a plunger armature actuatedby the energization'of the solenoid and operating to connect in parallelthe motor circuit and the main switch circuit, a sig: nal circuittraversing the cage, and contact devices operating in conjunction withthe signal circuit and actuated by the movement of the armature in onedirection.

7. In combination with an elevator gate, a safety circuit adapted to beclosed with the closing of the gate, a main switch, a main switchcircuit, a solenoid in the path of said circuit, a motor, a motorcircuit leading from the main switch, a plunger armature for saidsolenoid, a pair of insulated conducting plates carried by the armature,wipers arranged in pairsfor receiving between them the conducting platesaforesaid, one member of each pair being in the path of the main switchcircuit and the other members being in the path of the motor circuit,whereby the latter circuit becomes connected in parallel to the mainswitch circuit, a signal circuit, lights in said signal circuit, anoscillating lever actuated by the plunger a source of electric -energy,anfelectric mo- I tor, a main switch, a main switch circuit adapted tobe closed with a closing of the gate, an energizing coil traversed bysaid circuit, a motor circuit leading from the main switch, and anarmature actuatedby the energization of said coil and operatin toconnect in parallel the motor circuit and the main switch circuit.

9, In a door-controlled elevator system, a source of electric energy, acar, a door opposite the car, a main switch, a main switch circuitadapted to be closed with a closing of the door, a motor, a coil in thepath of the main switch circuit, a plunger armature for said coil, amotor circuit leading from the main switch and adapted to be closed bythe armature upon a movement of the latter with an energization of thecoil, a field winding for the motor adapted to be energized with aclosing of the motor circuit, an operators switch in the car, areversing switch, a controlling circuit between said reversing switchand operators switch, a motor armature circuit between the motor andreversing switch, a signal circuit, and means actuated by theplunger-armature in the coil of the main switch circuit for controllingthe signal circuit.

10. In combination'with anelevatorcage and gate therefor, a main switchcircuitv adapted to' be closed with a closing of the gate, a coil in thepath of said circuit, a main switch, a motor, a motor circuit leadingfrom the main switch, a plunger-armature'actuated by the energization ofthe coil and adapted to connect in parallel the'mo- I ARTHUR BECK.

. CHARLES BECK.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, Jos. A. MICHEL.

